Determination of the chromatographic characteristics of ginseng products

The topic of master thesis by Karolis Kubilius is ”Determination of the chromatographic characteristics of ginseng products”. The supervisor of MSc thesis is Prof. Dr. Valdas Jakštas. Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Academy of Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Analytical and Toxicological Chemistry. Kaunas, 2018. Aim of the research: The determination of ginseng products evaluating the qualitative and quantitative properties and completing a comparison between two pharmacopoeial chromatographic methodologies. Objectives of the research: 1. To evaluate methodology for thin layer chromatography (TLC) based on Europe and US pharmacopoeias monographs for the ginseng genus (Panax L.) and to complete qualitative analysis of commercial products; 2. To evaluate methodology for high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) based on Europe and US pharmacopoeias monographs for the ginseng genus (Panax L.) and to complete qualitative analysis of commercial products. 3. To examine quantitative methodology based on Europe and US pharmacopoeias and to determine quantity of saponins in the commercial products of ginseng (lat. Panax ginseng). Objects and the methodology of the research: Nine food supplements and medical products that can be found at Lithuanian and US market were as explorative items in this paper. Qualitative analysis was performed using high performance liquid chromatography coupled with photo-diode array detector (HPLC-PDA) and thin layer chromatography (TLC). Quantitative analysis was performed using high performance liquid chromatography with photo-diode array detector (HPLC-PDA). In the 6 of 9 commercial products all regulated ginsenosides were determined (Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Rd, Re, Rf, Rg1) using TLC methodology. Only in one product there were not any of saponins and results of two products were indistinct because of impurities. Both pharmacopoeial TLC techniques have the same field of determination and sensitivity. In the quantitative analysis, the higher total ginsenoside content was determined based on the European Pharmacopoeia methodology. One of the results obtained by the European Pharmacopoeia did not meet the requirements, and in the results obtained from the US Pharmacopoeia two products did not have the required amount of ginsenosides. The US methodology regulated to identify 6 bioactive components was more complete, but Europe was more accurate